The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Aster plant, botanically known as Aster novi-belgii (now Symphyotrichum novi-belgii) of the Asteraceae family, commonly known as the Michaelmas Daisy and New York Aster, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘DASDEM’.
The new Aster cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor, Bent Juhl JENSEN, in Malling, Denmark. The objective of the breeding program is to develop a new Aster variety with uniform plant growth habit, unique floret colors, and good postproduction longevity.
The new Aster cultivar originated from a cross made in a controlled breeding program by the inventor on Apr. 1, 2005 in Malling, Denmark. The female or seed parent is Aster novi-belgii ‘MILKA’ (patented, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,602). The male or pollen parent is Aster novi-belgii ‘MARGRETHE VIKING’ (patented, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,358 and CPVO Grant No. 8378). The new Aster ‘DASDEM’ was discovered and selected by the inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in September of 2006 in a controlled environment in Malling, Denmark. The selection of the new Aster ‘DASDEM’ was based on its uniform plant growth habit and desirable inflorescence form and ray floret color.
Asexual reproduction of the new Aster cultivar by vegetative tip cuttings was first performed in June of 2006 in Malling, Denmark, and has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction. The new cultivar reproduces true to type.